Honestly, who has been the best pitcher for Boston, Lester or Bucholz?

[baseballguru3]

I know Lester is considered the ace or whatever, but I'd rather have Buch out there in a must win game.... and I believe he's having a better year than Lester.

What do you think? Lester or Buch so far this year?

[j-bay]

ITS buchholz! HARDEST NAME TO TYPE ON THIS SITE

[Pittz]

Hoestly, this could probably be in the Red Sox forum, and you should probably spell Buchholz's name correctly.

To answer the question, the only thing Buchholz has on Lester this year is ERA. Lester has the superior peripherals, and he's done this before.

[xabial]

Wow both had no-hitters what are the odds

[Ragun]

lester...without a doubt. lower WHIP, 30 more innings pitched, 80 more strikeouts, lower BAA in the same amount of starts.

[NCBoSoxfan21]

I'd much rather have Mr. Automatic in Lester. But I'm glad the Sox have both pitchers. I cannot for the life of me figure out why we took Lackey at such a deal with the talent we already had at SP.

Worst GM move of Theo's career.

[Pittz]

Or player comparisons lol

[bagwell368]

Lester has been a top 10 ML pitcher going back to the end of the 2007 season, he's a lefty too boot.

Buchholz has been fine going back to sometime in the 2nd half last year. In the period he's probably top 15 ML wide, but the lack of innings hurts his cause.

Lester easily.

Also, it's the first year of Lackey. Signing him was a better move then signing Bay. Let's hold the axe for now.

[Celtic AL]

when is the Mod gonna realize baseballguru3 is really Lou Holtz Lisp

[NCBoSoxfan21]

Lester has been a top 10 ML pitcher going back to the end of the 2007 season, he's a lefty too boot.

Buchholz has been fine going back to sometime in the 2nd half last year. In the period he's probably top 15 ML wide, but the lack of innings hurts his cause.

Lester easily.

Also, it's the first year of Lackey. Signing him was a better move then signing Bay. Let's hold the axe for now.

And? Signing him was also a better move than giving 100M to Joe Schmoe # 1. It doesn't detract from the fact that he's overpaid for career norms and still not even doing that crappy, so he's doubly underperforming his contract. I knew it was a horrible signing from the start and it will only get worse as he gets older.

[baseballguru3]

Why is everyone using past performances and evaluating from that who has been the better pitcher between the two? The past has nothing to do with my question which was who has been the better pitcher between the two this year.....not through their careers thus far or going forward.

It's crazy to me that his own Boston fans would underrate Buchholz.....he's a moster and is coming into his own. I'd have to think real hard between Lester and Buchholz for the future...certainly no "easily lester" about it.

[Pittz]

Did you think the same thing about Matsuzaka? Anyone can have a fluke year.

I'm not saying Buchholz is having a fluke year, just that his peripherals aren't as solid as Lester's. Because of that, there's more chance of regression. With Lester, who is still improving as well (only 26), you're pretty much guaranteed a top ten ML wide pitcher. With Buchholz, there's much less certainty for his career, for next year, and even for his next start.

PS - You didn't mean their careers going forward, but you'd have to think hard between Lester and Buchholz for the future... Lol

[Gigantes4Life]

Why is everyone using past performances and evaluating from that who has been the better pitcher between the two? The past has nothing to do with my question which was who has been the better pitcher between the two this year.....not through their careers thus far or going forward.

It's crazy to me that his own Boston fans would underrate Buchholz.....he's a moster and is coming into his own. I'd have to think real hard between Lester and Buchholz for the future...certainly no "easily lester" about it.

Because past performance is indicative of future performance.

And Lester is the better pitcher, and it is quite easily. No knock on Clay, but Lester is just that good.

[baseballguru3]

It doesn't matter that Lester strikes more guys out or that his FIP and all that stuff is better...that's more prediction stats than what actually has happened.... fact of the matter is that Buch is better at preventing runs than Lester is this year by a pretty wide margin.....and that's not to mention bucholz has left on 13 runners on base while leaving the game and 5 of them have scored... above league average...so his ERA and ERA+ would be even better if the pen picked him up at a normal rate.....

meanwhile Lester has let on 13 runners while leaving the game and only 1 of them have scored....so his era should stand to be a little higher....

Buchholz is having the better year. At the very least in Buchholz case is they have pitched on the same level when you consider the innings advantage Lester has.

Let the underrating of Buchholz continue though.

[Gigantes4Life]

A 2.69 ERA is better than 2.80 by a wide margin? I don't think you're very good at math Lou Holtz.